American Football NCAA Approved Ruling 7-3-1

I. 1/10 @ A-25. QB A12 is in shotgun formation and slot receiver A80, who is lined up to the wide side of the field, starts back in motion toward A12 before the snap. At the snap A80 heads toward A12 to run the jet sweep. A12 flips the ball up into the air and A80 (a) catches the ball as he crosses in front of A12 and A80 turns upfield and is out of bounds at the A-40, or (b) muffs the ball and the ball drops to the ground. RULING: The short flip of the ball by A12 is considered a legal forward pass unless it is clearly and obviously thrown backward: (a) Completed forward pass to A80 and the run upfield results in a 1st down for the offense. (b) When the ball strikes the ground, it is ruled an incomplete forward pass and the play is dead.

II. 1/10 @ A-25. QB A12 is in shotgun formation and slot receiver A80, who is lined up to the wide side of the field, starts back in motion toward A12 before the snap. At the snap A80 heads toward A12 to run the jet sweep. A12 flips the ball up into the air but it is a fake jet sweep and A80 passes by and does not touch the ball. A12 catches the ball and: (a) runs upfield and is out of bounds at the A-40, or (b) then throws a forward pass to A88 who makes the catch at the A-40 and is downed at that spot. RULING: The short flip of the ball by A12 is considered a legal forward pass unless it is clearly and obviously thrown backward: (a) The catch of the forward pass by A12 is legal and the advance results in a 1st down for the offense. (b) The catch of the forward pass by A12 is legal, but A12’s pass to A88 is the second forward pass during the same down and is an Illegal Forward Pass as per Rule 7-3-2-d.